Steffen Oil-Long Time Community Member Recognized
The Wells County Chamber of Commerce staff and Ambassadors congratulated Steffen Oil as the December Member of the Month. Steffen Oil is located at 705 West Market St in Bluffton and currently employees seven individuals, who are all local: Ryan James, Branch Manager; Steve Prible, Energy Manager; Dave Oswalt, Office Manager; Jeff Southard, Transportation Driver; Brad Allen, Fuel Driver; Kelly Gentis, Service Operator; and Julia Prible, Office Assistant.
Elmer Steffen opened Steffen Oil in Bluffton in the early 1960’s as a privately-owned business. In 2008, the business became a farmer owned cooperative, which means Steffen Oil is owned by local farmers. “The farmers we do business with can buy one share of stock for $5. At the end of the year we will refund profits back to the customer based on how much they spend in that year,” explains Steve Prible.
“Wells County is home to all of us here at Steffen Oil. We are very proud to be serving customers in this area,” said Prible. Steffen Oil is a full retail gas station offering home, farm, and other types of business deliveries of fuel and propane, as well as selling motor oils.
Steffen Oil is a division of AgBest and has a total of five locations in Indiana. Each location serves a different purpose. Hartford City, Dunkirk, and Gaston are fertilizer companies for farmers. The AgBest Corporate office and fuel station is in Muncie and Steffen Oil in Wells County has a fuel station that disburses over 3.7 million gallons of gas each year.
There are a variety of different programs, nonprofits, and events Steffen Oil has been a part of in Wells County. “We give back and participate in a variety of ways in the community such as the annual Touch a Truck, the local 4H programs, Creative Arts programs, the Wells County Public Library, and we try to support as many nonprofits as we can,” said Ryan James.
Fueling Freedom is an annual fundraiser Steffen Oil has been doing for the past 10 years. “We have donated nearly $20,000 back to the families of the National Guard in Wells County,” said James. Each year Steffen Oil employees and the National Guard will help pump gas, hand out hot dogs and beverages. Fifty cents for every gallon pumped during that time will be given back to the families of troops that are deployed.
“Something that is very unique about Steffen Oil is that we are happy to pump customers gas for them. We are the only station here in town to do so. The gas pumps are also available 24 hours, 7 days a week by payment of a credit card,” concluded James. Office hours run Monday through Friday 7am to 5pm and Saturday’s from 8am to noon.
Pictured in photo left to right:
Cyndee Fiechter, North Eastern Group Realty, Chamber Ambassador
Erica Lehman, Coldwell Banker-Holloway, Chamber Ambassador
Kathy McGill, Woodforest National Bank, Chamber Ambassador
Rita Haneline, Markle Health & Rehabilitation, Chamber Ambassador
Heather Morgan, National Oil, Chamber Ambassador
Dave Oswalt, Steffen Oil
Kevin Pritchard, RUOFF Home Mortgage, Chamber Ambassador
Ryan James, Steffen Oil
Steve Prible, Steffen Oil
Kelly Gentis, Steffen Oil
Nick Huffman, FC Tucker Malcolm & Schlueter, Chamber Ambassador
Erin Prible, Wells County Chamber of Commerce, Executive Director
Kevin Sills, Ossian State Bank, Chamber Ambassador
Alyssa Sponseller, Archbold & Lewis Insurance, Chamber Ambassador